The BoltAI Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about BoltAI in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
BoltAI
The Insider’s Guide
Native Mac AI client that runs on your own API keys
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI assistants, read from BoltAI’s own pages.
Made by BoltAI (Podzim LLC) · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from BoltAI’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on BoltAI’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 12 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade
BoltAI is a native macOS app for working with more than 300 AI models through your own API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Mistral, Azure OpenAI and Amazon Bedrock, or through local models in Ollama and LM Studio. Beyond chat it offers an overlay opened by a global shortcut, screenshot questions, dictation, reusable agents, projects and MCP tools. It is sold as a perpetual license with one year of updates, and chats are stored locally unless optional Cloud Sync is switched on.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about BoltAI, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You bring your own API keys or local models, and it gives you a chat overlay on any app, screenshot questions, dictation and agents.
- 1
Best for a native Mac app for your own AI keys, bought once
BoltAI is a native Mac app for people who'd rather pay for AI by the token than by the month.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $79 one-time (Essential, 1 device, one year of updates).
- 3
You can try it first
Free trial with limited features and no account required; the site states no time limit.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
macOS and iOS.
- 5
Your own keys and local models
Connects with your API keys to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Mistral, Azure OpenAI, Amazon Bedrock and others, and to local models through Ollama and LM Studio. No AI credits are bundled.
- 6
Instant Chat and ShotSolve
A global shortcut opens a chat overlay on top of any app, and ShotSolve sends a screenshot to a vision model for an explanation, a fix or a summary.
- 7
Instant Dictation and AI Workflows
Push-to-talk dictation works in any text field with cloud or local models, and AI Workflows run one-click actions and in-place text transforms inside other apps.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 12 of 57
That is against the other AI assistants we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace BoltAI you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
BoltAI at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $79 one-time (Essential, 1 device, one year of updates)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free trial with limited features and no account required; the site states no time limit.
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- BoltAI (Podzim LLC), since 2023
- Category
- AI Assistants
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a native Mac app for your own AI keys, bought once
BoltAI is a native Mac app for people who'd rather pay for AI by the token than by the month. You bring your own API keys or local models, and it gives you a chat overlay on any app, screenshot questions, dictation and agents. It's $79 once, but that buys the app only, updates and sync stop after a year unless you renew, the phone apps are in beta, and Windows isn't out.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $79 once for one Mac, or $99 for two desktops and a phone. That's less than a year of this category's middle subscription, and the app keeps working for good. No model usage in the price, and updates, sync and mobile pause after a year unless you renew. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. There's a trial with limited features that needs no account, and the site puts no time limit on it, so it's a look round rather than somewhere to stay. Buy it and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee. |
| Features | C | A native Mac client for your own keys: a chat overlay on any app, ShotSolve on a screenshot, dictation, agents, MCP and code execution. It's a smaller job than it looks, since the models and the bills come from elsewhere. |
| Ease of use | C | It's a native Mac app, but nothing happens until you've added a provider key or set up a local model. That's accounts to wire together before your first chat, and there's no App Store rating on record either. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Apple only: macOS 13 or later, with the iPhone, iPad and Android apps in beta behind a sign-up form and Windows listed as coming soon. It does connect to OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Bedrock, Ollama and MCP servers. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who BoltAI is for
- Fits if you work on a Mac and want a native app, not another browser tab
- Works for people who already have API keys for a few providers, or local models in Ollama
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're on Windows, which is only listed as coming soon
- Not for you if you want AI included in the price, because every provider bills you separately
- Pricey if you're a company, as teams must buy the Team license, 5 seats minimum at $99 a seat
- Watch out: updates, Cloud Sync and mobile access last one year per purchase, then pause until you renew
- Tight if you want it on your phone, since the iPhone, iPad and Android apps are in beta behind a sign-up form
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users who want a native app instead of a browser tab
- People who prefer a one-time license to a monthly subscription
- Users with API keys for several providers or local models in Ollama
Worth knowing
- The price covers the app only: you need your own API keys, and each AI provider bills usage separately.
- It runs on macOS 13 or later. Windows is listed as coming soon, and the iPhone, iPad and Android apps are in beta with sign-up through a form.
- Updates, Cloud Sync and mobile access last one year per purchase. After that the app keeps working locally, but sync and mobile pause until you renew.
- Teams and companies are required to buy the Team license, which starts at 5 seats at $99 per seat.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$79 one-time
To start
BoltAI is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $79 one-time (Essential, 1 device, one year of updates).
That's less than a year of this category's middle subscription, and the app keeps working for good.
Essential
$79
one-time, 1 device, one year of updates
For students and hobbyists: every app feature on 1 Mac, with 512 MB of cloud storage for sync and no mobile device.
Pro
$99
one-time, 2 desktop devices + 1 mobile, one year of updates
For freelancers and professionals: every app feature, 1 GB of cloud storage and 1 mobile device. Shown as a bundle valued at $200.
Pro+
$199
one-time, 3 desktop devices + 2 mobile, one year of updates
For use across more devices: every app feature, 5 GB of cloud storage and 2 mobile devices at once.
Team Perpetual
$99
per seat, one-time, 5-seat minimum
One device per seat with 10 GB of shared team storage, the mobile app during its beta and priority support. Optional renewal is $79 per seat per year.
Trying it first
Free trial with limited features and no account required; the site states no time limit.
Read from boltai.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
Perpetual license from $79
Every license is a one-time purchase that keeps working after its year of updates ends: Essential is $79, Pro $99 and Pro+ $199, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Stated on boltai.comEducation
50% off for students and educators
Emailing BoltAI from a university address gets a discount code for 50% off, which makes the Essential license $39.50. The 40% renewal discount still applies afterwards.
Stated on boltai.comOther savings
40% off renewals for individual licenses
Individual licenses can renew updates and sync for another year at 60% of the original list price, and the discount does not expire. Team licenses get no renewal discount.
Stated on help.boltai.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
Native Mac AI client that runs on your own API keys. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, local-first, one-time purchase, AI features, dictation, chat assistant, AI agents.
A native Mac client for your own keys: a chat overlay on any app, ShotSolve on a screenshot, dictation, agents, MCP and code execution.
- Your own keys and local models
- Connects with your API keys to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Mistral, Azure OpenAI, Amazon Bedrock and others, and to local models through Ollama and LM Studio. No AI credits are bundled.
- Instant Chat and ShotSolve
- A global shortcut opens a chat overlay on top of any app, and ShotSolve sends a screenshot to a vision model for an explanation, a fix or a summary.
- Instant Dictation and AI Workflows
- Push-to-talk dictation works in any text field with cloud or local models, and AI Workflows run one-click actions and in-place text transforms inside other apps.
- Agents, projects and prompt library
- Reusable agents carry their own instructions, knowledge and tools. Projects share context across chats, chats can be forked, and saved prompts are inserted with a shortcut.
- MCP tools and code execution
- Connects to local and remote MCP servers with individual tools switched on or off, and supports web search, code execution and Claude skills for Office documents and PDFs.
- Local storage with optional Cloud Sync
- Chats are kept in a local SQLite database and API keys can be encrypted with a passphrase. Optional Cloud Sync shares chats, agents and projects with other devices.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- OpenAI
- Anthropic
- Google Gemini
- Mistral
- Azure OpenAI
- Amazon Bedrock
- Ollama
- LM Studio
BoltAI is made by BoltAI (Podzim LLC), and has been around since 2023.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
12/57
Other AI assistants it is graded above
BoltAI's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 12 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 38 of 57) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 58 AI assistants we grade, cut by the letter each got. BoltAI’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 38 of 57
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 57
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 57
- CEase of useAbove 3 of 57
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 57
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace BoltAI you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 35 of the 57 other AI assistants grade higher. It costs $79, paid once.
What you could not
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- Dictation that types into any app on your computer.
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, OpenAI, Anthropic and Google Gemini among them.
What this rests on. BoltAI’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
TypingMind, Chatbox, Msty, Elephas and Alter
The 5 tools BoltAI is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
TypingMind
Free plan · from $39 one-time
Chat interface for AI models that runs on your own API keys.
- TypingMind has a free plan. BoltAI does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only BoltAI lists macOS and iOS apps.
- Only TypingMind lists a web app.
- 3.4GPA
Chatbox
Free plan · from $3.50/mo
AI chat client for your own API keys or a hosted model plan.
- Chatbox has a free plan. BoltAI does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Chatbox lists a web app.
- Only Chatbox lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- 2.6GPA
Msty
Free plan · from $149/yr
Private AI workspace for local and online models.
- Msty has a free plan. BoltAI does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only BoltAI lists an iOS app.
- Only Msty lists a web app.
- 1.8GPA
Elephas
Free plan · from $15.83/mo
Private AI knowledge assistant for Mac with local indexing.
- Elephas has a free plan. BoltAI does not, though it has a free trial.
- BoltAI can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- BoltAI also covers dictation and AI agents.
- 2.6GPA
Alter
Free plan · from $29/yr
Voice-driven Mac AI assistant that reads on-screen context.
- Alter has a free plan. BoltAI does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only BoltAI lists an iOS app.
- BoltAI also covers AI agents.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is BoltAI free?
No, BoltAI is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free trial with limited features and no account required; the site states no time limit.
How much does BoltAI cost?
BoltAI lists 4 plans. Essential: $79 one-time, 1 device, one year of updates.
What platforms does BoltAI work on?
BoltAI is available on macOS and iOS.
Does BoltAI offer any discounts?
BoltAI publicly lists the following: Perpetual license from $79; 50% off for students and educators; 40% off renewals for individual licenses.
Does BoltAI have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. BoltAI is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does BoltAI have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. BoltAI is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is BoltAI open source?
BoltAI is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does BoltAI work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does BoltAI integrate with?
BoltAI's listing names OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Mistral, Azure OpenAI, Amazon Bedrock, Ollama and LM Studio.
Does BoltAI have a student discount?
50% off for students and educators. Emailing BoltAI from a university address gets a discount code for 50% off, which makes the Essential license $39.50.
Who makes BoltAI?
BoltAI is made by BoltAI (Podzim LLC). It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to BoltAI?
The closest alternatives to BoltAI in our directory are TypingMind, Chatbox, Msty, Elephas and Alter.
How does BoltAI compare with other AI assistants?
BoltAI's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 12 of the 57 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 10.
Could I make my own version of BoltAI?
To replace BoltAI you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from BoltAI’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from BoltAI's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-30.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by BoltAI (Podzim LLC). Prices change, so check boltai.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- BoltAI, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/boltai
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "BoltAI: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/boltai
Know someone choosing between AI assistants?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/boltai/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI assistants after BoltAI, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Assistants Insider's GuideEvery one of the 58 AI assistants we grade, compared
- Gemini Insider's GuideGoogle's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps3.8 GPA
- Chatbox Insider's GuideAI chat client for your own API keys or a hosted model plan3.4 GPA
- ChatGPT Insider's GuideOpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, images and voice3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what BoltAI’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. BoltAI is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by BoltAI (Podzim LLC). Prices and plans change: check boltai.com before you buy.